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Photograph courtesy of NYSE Euronext |
Sporting a flowered dress and a white knit sweater, Olivia Bouler sits on a stuffed leather couch at the New York Stock Exchange poring over her new copy of Frank Gill’s Ornithology, a gift from the author himself, Audubon’s president. At 11 years old, Olivia is an in-demand artist who draws pictures of birds to raise money for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill relief, an interest that has made her a national star. A week ago, Olivia rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange with the National Audubon Society.
On a tour of the trading floor, Olivia and her younger brother, Jackson, who wore a three-cornered hat, glanced at the flashing computer monitors, holding their parents’ hands and asking questions, completely unfazed by the activity around them.
“I knew about the oil crisis when I was 10 years old, and now I have a 10 year old,” said Olivia’s mom, Nadine Bouler, explaining why it was important for her family to support Olivia’s activities.
Olivia’s colorful images of brown pelicans and ruby throated hummingbirds inspire hope in the people who see them and with any luck, spur them to act. Her summer activities include visiting congressmen in Washington, D.C., where she will give personal showings of her finest work.
For more on Olivia, click here.